Measurement plays a fundamental role both in physical and
behavioral sciences, as well as in engineering and technology: it
is the link between abstract models and empirical reality and is a
privileged method of gathering information from the real world.
Is it possible to develop a single theory of measurement for the
various domains of science and technology in which measurement is
involved? This book takes the challenge by addressing the following
main issues: What is the meaning of measurement? How do we measure?
What can be measured?
A theoretical framework that could truly be shared by scientists
in different fields, ranging from physics and engineering to
psychology is developed. The future in fact will require greater
collaboration between science and technology and between different
sciences. Measurement, which played a key role in the birth of
modern science, can act as an essential interdisciplinary tool and
language for this new scenario.
A sound theoretical basis for addressing key problems in
measurement is provided. These include perceptual measurement, the
evaluation of uncertainty, the evaluation of inter-comparisons, the
analysis of risks in decision-making and the characterization of
dynamical measurement. Currently, increasing attention is paid to
these issues due to their scientific, technical, economic and
social impact. The book proposes a unified probabilistic approach
to them which may allow more rational and effective solutions to be
reached.
Great care was taken to make the text as accessible as possible
in several ways. Firstly, by giving preference to as
interdisciplinary a terminology as possible; secondly, by carefully
defining and discussing all key terms. This ensures that a wide
readership, including people from different mathematical
backgrounds and different understandings of measurement can all
benefit from this work. Concerning mathematics, all the main
results are preceded by intuitive discussions and illustrated by
simple examples. Moreover, precise proofs are always included in
order to enable the more demanding readers to make conscious and
creative use of these ideas, and also to develop new ones.
The book demonstrates that measurement, which is commonly
understood to be a merely experimental matter, poses theoretical
questions which are no less challenging than those arising in
other, apparently more theoretical, disciplines.
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